NIA Unearths CPI (Maoist) Conspiracy in Bihar: Extensive Raids Expose Revival Plot

Patna: The NIA Special Court in Patna on Saturday sentenced six accused individuals to rigorous imprisonment and imposed fines under various penal sections in a 2016 case involving the planting of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on the railway track near Ghorasahan railway station in Bihar. The accused were involved in planting a pressure cooker IED on the railway track on the night of September 30 in an attempt to blast a passenger train coming from Narkatiaganj. Fortunately, the IED was spotted by local residents and successfully defused before it could explode. During the investigation, the local police established the involvement of the following accused: Umashankar Raut (also known as Umashankar Patel or Raju Patel), Gajendra Sharma (also known as Gajendra Thakur), Rakesh Kumar Yadav (also known as Rakesh), Mukesh Kumar Yadav (also known as Mukesh), Motilal Paswan (also known as Moti), and Ranjay Kumar Sah (also known as Ranjay). Initially, three of the accused were arrested by the local police, while two others were nabbed later by the NIA on different occasions after it took over the probe in January 2017. The sixth accused surrendered in February 2017. The chargesheet against all accused was filed by the NIA in July 2017. On September 24, 2024, the NIA Court found the accused guilty. Today, the court announced the sentences against them under relevant sections of the IPC, UA(P) Act, Explosive Substances Act, and Railway Act. The sentences pronounced by the court range from 5 to 12 years of rigorous imprisonment along with fines, which will run concurrently, with an extension of 3 months of imprisonment in case of non payment of fines.

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted extensive raids across Bihar on Thursday to uncover and thwart the CPI (Maoist) conspiracy aimed at reviving and strengthening the proscribed organization in the Magadh zone.

In a coordinated effort spanning 31 locations in Aurangabad, Rohtash, Kaimur, Gaya and Saran (Chhapra), the NIA unearthed the involvement of top CPI (Maoist) commanders in the plot to revive the outfit and bolster its presence in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

The raids resulted in the seizure of various electronic devices, including mobile phones, SIM cards, SD cards, and hard discs. Additionally, incriminating documents, two country-made pistols, and Rs. 3,53,130 in cash were confiscated during the searches. These operations were carried out as part of NIA’s investigation in two separate cases (RC-26/2023/NIA/DLI & RC-27/2023/NIA/DLI).

The locations targeted today were recognized as the residential premises of four arrested accused persons, who are commanders of CPI (Maoist), along with 27 suspected OGWs/supporters/sympathizers of the outfit. NIA’s investigations have unveiled that the four accused collaborated with others to revive and strengthen the cadres of CPI(Maoist) in the Magadh Zone.

The case RC-26/2023/NIA/DLI, initially registered at PS Tikari in Gaya, Bihar on 10th August 2023, followed the arrest of two accused, Pramod Mishra (CC Member and chief of the Eastern Regional Bureau of CPI (Maoist)) and Anil Yadav (Sub-Zonal Commander of the outfit). The NIA took over and re-registered the case on 31st August, revealing the accused persons’ conspiracy to commit unlawful activities and reinforce the cadres of CPI (Maoist) in Magadh (Gaya & Aurangabad) area.

In the second case (RC-27/2023/NIA-DLI), initially registered on 7th August 2023 at PS Goh, District Aurangabad, and re-registered by NIA on 26th September, investigations unveiled the recovery of two booklets related to the CPI (Maoist) Magadh Zonal Sangathnic Committee, along with arms and ammunitions, from the possession of accused persons Rohit Rai and Pramod Yadav. The duo, along with their associates, were conspiring to commit unlawful activities and extorting levies from contractors and brick kiln owners to support the violent activities of CPI (Maoist).